why is y=abs(sinx) different from y=sinx

Question

anonymous · Answer

do you know how the graphs of each look like?

anonymous · Answer

yes the abs(sinx) is higher than sinx am i correct?

anonymous · Answer

no.... not really.... 
only certain parts of the graph "match up" with each other...
notice that y=sinx can be both positive or negative, depending on what x is...
but y=abs(sinx) on the other had is ALWAYS positive.... the absolute value takes everything that is negative in y=sinx and makes it positive....

so as far as one being "higher" than the other, i would say they have the same maximum value....

anonymous · Answer

sorry...
i don't mean ALWAYS positive... i meant NON-NEGATIVE...

anonymous · Answer

to put it another way.... the absolute value reflects the part of the graph that's below the x-axis over to the positive side.....

zzr0ck3r · Answer

sin(3pi/2) = -1 |sin(3pi/2)| = 1